Sourdough Sandwich bread
I have loved sourdough bread for years and had dabbled with it in the past but never really stuck with it until the pandemic hit and I felt I had time to give it a proper go, starting with creating my own starter. Each starter is totally unique as every home has different natural yeast floating about, it also varies depending on the type of flour you use. Since then I've had to make another couple of starters due to neglect and the starter dying.... I'm currently on Betty mk3. who is going strong. For me, it feels like all is well with the world when you have a loaf of freshly baked bread in front of you.
The round loaves of rustic sourdough are lovely to sit and eat at the weekend, through the week though I need a loaf of bread that I can make sandwiches for the kids packed lunches and this sourdough sandwich bread is it. I have found that by using milk inplace of water it gives the bread a much softer texture, If you don't have milk then by all means use water.
1/2 a cup of active starter
1/4 cup of softened butter
1 1/4 cup of milk
1/2 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp of honey
4 cups of bread flour
Put all the ingredients minus 1 cup of the bread flour in to the mixing bowl. (I like to make this in my stand mixer but equally you can do it by hand.) I keep back the last cup of flour as the amount you need will vary depending on the hydration of your starter. Using the dough hook attachement set the mixer on a low speed and once the dough has come together decide if it needs more flour or not adding a little at a time.
Let the mixer kneed the dough for about 10 minutes. You want a nice elastic dough that will pass the window pane test.
Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let the dough rise for 10-12 hours in a warm place.
Line or butter a 1lb loaf tin, then knock back the dough, shape it and place in the loaf tin.
Cover and let the dough have it's secong rise for 2-4 hours or until it has doubled.
Preheat your oven to 180ºc and once the oven is at temperature put the bread in to bake for roughly 45 minutes, or until it is golden on top.
Allow the bread to completely cool before slicing it.
